And They Said It Wouldn't Last
by fromyoutaro
Summary: Starting after the events of Slade Wilson's attack on Starling City, Oliver Queen is ready to rebuild, well.. Oliver Queen. This is the beginning of his partnership with Laurel Lance, who is on her own journey towards becoming the Black Canary. Chapter by Chapter, who knows where this will go (not me). *Title from Green Arrow/Black Canary, The Wedding Album.
1. Chapter 1

A gust of late spring air rustled the bright leaves of trees and bushes surrounding Laurel as she walked up to the grand doors of the Queen's mansion. The appearance matched the feeling of the place; signs of loss were as evident as the lack of noise coming from Thea's bedroom window, or the pots of flowers on the steps that were now brown and crippled to the roots.

Something even more out of place, Laurel noticed, was the complete lack of light coming from the house. Not a flicker of a lamp or the glow of a porch light. Oliver had asked for her help earlier today, she had come straight here after work. Now she wondered if it was a mistake, and if Ollie was out patrolling the streets in a hood, forgetting that he had ever called.

Just as she was about to turn around she heard the door swing open-

"Laurel?"  
>"Ollie, I didn't think you were here.. what's with the power cut? I don't recall seeing anywhere else in Starling City devoid of their electricity."<br>"No, just here. I switched off the main breaker. Saving money. You do know I'm currently out of a job? And a night club. But I'm glad you came."

She couldn't help but notice his excited grin and the pad of paper he had in his left hand.

"Well, that's an interesting way to 'cut back,'" Laurel teased as she shimmied by him into the cold and dark foyer.

"So," she said spinning to face him, "what can I do you for today?"  
>"Well, actually, I'd like your help with something. A list." His grin got even wider.<br>"A _list_?"  
>"A list. I've got a set-up in the drawing room," he said, leading her towards it.<p>

Unlike the rest of the house, the drawing room felt warm and _alive_. Oliver had a fire blazing in the hearth, and enough candles burning to give light to the entire space. A coffee table littered with papers was pushed up against the couch in front of the fire and pillows were scattered around the floor; the couch cushions crooked like he had slept there the night before.

"Come, sit!" he said as he straightened up the couch and kicked some pillows off to the side.

Laurel took off her coat and joined him on the couch.

"Ollie, what is all this?" Laurel said, seriously, as she picked up a few Queen Consolidated documents and a map of the greater-Starling area.  
>"Laurel, when I was on Lian Yu, I had two things. A picture of you, and a list my father gave me..."<p>

Ollie recounted the story of the list to Laurel from the beginning. Through his first year back in Starling City, the undertaking, his method-change after Tommy's death...Laurel listened to every word. She had always been a good listener with him. Patient when he struggled to find the right words, but encouraging enough for him to be honest with her. Something he wished he could have done all those years ago.

"...this is the list of Starling City's 'hood guy,'", Ollie said picking up the leather journal, "but I don't want to be just _that_ anymore. I still need to be Oliver Queen. And thinking of that kid stuck on an island with a picture and my father's ledger, I thought, maybe it's about time we go back to that. But now I need the real you, Laurel, not just a picture. The real you and this list," he help up that pad of paper he had carried to the door, "and I can be Oliver Queen again."

"I...," Laurel exhaled, unsure of what to say. "I... I'd love to help you, Ollie. To be quite honest, I've missed Oliver Queen, too."

He smiled in relief.

"So, hand over that list of yours," Laurel said with a playful smile.

She took it from his hand, and read his familiar, scratchy handwriting.

_-Thea_  
><em>-Queen Consolidated<em>  
><em>-CNRI<em>  
><em>-Laurel<em>

Unable to take her eyes away from the last two things written on his list, Laurel looked up at him and jokingly said, "Now.. what's so wrong with Laurel?"

Oliver looked down, almost like he was ashamed.

"Laurel.. last year. And the year before that... And five years before that... well, I wasn't there for you like I should have been. And I live with that regret every single day of my life. You deserved so much better. You deserved what I didn't. What we had... well, I broke that worse than I broke Queen Consolidated. For God's sake, I didn't just break it, I blew it up and buried the ashes."

"Ollie..."

"No, Laurel it's true. And I know that we won't ever go back to what we were before the island. That's history. But, if Oliver Queen is going to have a life outside of that hood, Dinah Laurel Lance has to be a part of it." He looked back up at her and into her eyes as his brightened as he said, "Laurel, let's start over. Let's find Thea. Let's get my electricity turned back on and be the partners we were always destined to be."

Laurel held out her hand, "Oliver Queen you said? Well, Mr. Queen, let's take a look at that map you have there," she said with a smile.

Oliver took her hand in his, laughing, and they shook, "Ms. Lance, let me put the kettle on the fire so we can get started."

-End Chapter 1-


	2. Chapter 2: Thea

Oliver and Laurel had spent hours looking at maps of Starling City, researching the League of Assassins - something Laurel had privately been doing since Sara left - and just.. talking.

"I've missed this," Oliver said quietly, as Laurel poured herself some more tea from the kettle. "Just the two of us, talking about the latest Rockets game and not worrying about the future, or trying to save Starling, or tracking runaway siblings. Just laughing with you again, Laurel. I've missed that laugh."

"Well.." Laurel looked down at the mug in her hands. "I've missed this laugh, too." She looked back up at him and began, "my father was right...," Her sentence was cut off by a yawn as she looked down at her watch. "God, Ollie! It's almost three AM!"

Oliver quickly stood up, to Laurel's surprise, and walked out of the room.

Laurel started to grab her purse and put the various things she took out of it over the course of the evening back into it as Ollie came back into the room dragging a mattress behind him.

"Oliver, what..."

"You're not driving back to your place this late. You're wiped! It wouldn't be safe," he explained as he placed the mattress off to the side of the fireplace and put a few pillows and a blanket over it.

"Just stay here. I know, it's not the luxury we're used to in a house like this.. but the bedrooms are freezing cold, and I'd rather you didn't get hypothermia as a punishment for deciding to help me." He pointed to the couch, "I'll sleep on the couch, and keep the fire going."

Laurel yawned again. "Ollie, this is ridiculous. I'll be fine driving back!"

"Hold on." He said as he held up his forefinger in her direction. .

Oliver ran up the stairs, and shortly came back with some old sweats brandishing their high school logo, and an old shirt of Thea's, and tossed them to her to sleep in. They had to be more comfortable than that business suit.

"Wow..," Laurel laughed and she examined the sweats, "I haven't seen those sweats since we graduated. I can't believe you still have them!"

Oliver laughed, and was cut off by a yawn of his own, as he started putting out a few of the brighter candles.

"Go to sleep, Laurel. I'll wake you up in the morning. I promise I won't let you miss work. The acting District Attorney can't be slacking on the job." He winked at her.

"Ha.. Ha," she teased. "Nor should the heir of Queen Consolidated." Ollie raised an eyebrow at her. "Hey," she said, "after we find Thea, I plan on getting you back on that board. I am, after all, the 'acting District Attorney.' Talk to Felicity tomorrow while I'm at work and have her pull phone records from the areas we marked on the map, and get the addresses of the old friends of Merlyn's we found. This is a good, start Ollie," she said reassuringly, "I promise we'll find her."

"Laurel..," he said seriously, "...thank you."

She teasingly threw an extra pillow at him before rolling over and closing her eyes, smiling. She did miss this. This was the Oliver she could get lost in. The Oliver that let her be just Laurel. Not Laurel the lawyer, or Laurel the DA, or Laurel the cop's daughter. Just Laurel.

Oliver smiled as he sat back down on the couch, the drawing room now dim, lit only by the fire in the hearth and a few candles. He picked up his new list and looked down at the first name.

"_-Thea_," it had written across the top.

We'll find you, Speedy. I won't shut you out again, Ollie thought as he lay across the couch, shifting the pillows to find a comfortable position.

He closed his eyes, drifting into sleep, feeling hopeful for the first time since he put Slade away back on Lian Yu.

But then he remembered..."Hey, Laurel?"

A sleepy, muffled "Hmm?" could be heard through a pillow.

"What was your dad right about? You know, earlier when you said "my dad was right.."

"Things get better," Laurel simply stated before nodding off.

Oliver smiled, then drifted off after her.

- - -  
>The next morning flew by in a coffee ridden, electricity-free theatric.<p>

Laurel was hurrying out the door and quickly reminding Ollie of all the things she went over with him just half an hour ago.

"Don't forget, talk to Felicity-"

"I know, the phone records, Merlyn's associates."

"I'll be back a few hours after work-"

"Yes, your Judo stuff with Ted, who, _by the way_, I would like to meet-"

"Ollie, come on. For the last time I told you we're not discussing this."

Laurel was halfway to her car by now.

"Well, I don't see why you need to learn Judo-

"Well, why do you need to go shoot at people with your arrows?"

"Hey!"

"Ollie, we're both trying to protect this city. If I want to disarm somebody using a pair of fishnets and a well-placed kick to the forearm, you're not going to stop me."

"Using a- wait. _Fishnets_?"

Laurel sighed. "Oliver, I'm going to be late. Call me if something comes up with Thea."

Her car door closed and she was driving away before Ollie was even done processing. _Fishnets?_

- - -

Laurel hadn't had a moment of peace since she got to her office. One case after another, her personnel in and out so fast she didn't even know who dropped off the brown package that just arrived on her desk.

It had no return address. Evidence came in like this all the time now- nobody wants to take responsibility in fear that they'll be hunted down.

She opened the box, but all there was inside was a disposable phone. No note. Nothing.

She put the box and the phone on the ground next to her chair. She had four more cases to get through before lunch, and trying to figure out this phone before then would only slow her down.

- - -

A quarter before noon Laurel noticed a loud buzzing and ringing coming from her office. She checked her personal phone and her work phone- but it was neither. She looked around and remembered the package from earlier this morning.

Great, she thought. Prank calling the DA is a new Starling-teenager low.

She picked it up.

"Laurel..?" A quiet voice asked.

"Who is this?" she demanded.

"Laurel it's Thea."

"Speedy! Where are you? Are you okay?" Laurel had stood up and was grabbing at her keys, "Stay there, tell me where you are, I'm leaving right now to get you-"

"Laurel, don't. I'm safe. I'm choosing to be here," Thea stated evenly.

"Thea, what are you doing? If you don't want to be found why are you calling me? At least tell me where you are."

"I can't. And I won't. I called you to tell you to stop looking for me. You won't find me. Not until I want to be found. You need to tell Oliver to give it up. I'm safe. This is my choice. And that's all he needs to know."

"Thea.. I can't just tell him to give up. And _you_ can't give up on _him_. I didn't."

"He had his chance, Laurel. And he wouldn't understand now. But you do. I'm doing this for me, and I won't let anyone get in my way this time. And don't bother trying to track this phone. You won't find prints or any addresses." Laurel could hear Thea struggling to get through to her. "You just have to trust me, Laurel."

"I do trust you, Speedy. But I don't trust Merlyn. You know what he did to Tommy. How can you just _sit_ there and accept that. He killed hundreds of innocent people, Thea!" If Laurel wasn't upset before, thinking about Tommy and CNRI sure did the trick.

"He's still my father. And he's the only one that's been truthful to me. He's the one I trust now."

"Thea, don't.."

"Goodbye, Laurel."

"THEA!"

Thea had hung up.

"Dammit!" Laurel yelled as she threw the phone down onto her desk.

- - -

"I don't get it!" Oliver said as he paced Laurel's small office. "After everything Merlyn did, and she wants to stay with him. I _can't_ let that happen."

"Ollie, you have to," Laurel dejectedly said for about the hundredth time. "She asked us to trust her and for once we have to. You don't know what she could do- or what Merlyn would do- if we tried to go after her again after this." She pointed at the disposable phone.

"He'll turn her into his protege. He'll poison her mind and fill it with all his evil propoganda. He's using her to get to me, I know it."

"I agree, Oliver but she was serious on the phone. We go after her and it's over. She'll never talk to you, or me, again. I think we need to give it time. Then we go after Merlyn. Not Thea. We put Merlyn away and it's the end."

Deeply and quietly Oliver whispered, "_Put him away_... Laurel, I'll put another arrow through him if he does anything to Thea."

Laurel walked over to Oliver, levelly looked him in the eye, and stated flatly and equally quietly, "get in line, _GA_."


	3. Chapter 3: Queen Consolidated

It had been a couple days since Oliver had last talked to Laurel. He threw himself into being, what she called, the 'Green Arrow,' and she had shifted into overdrive at the gym with Ted. Laurel had taken Thea's turn harder than she had anticipated; another sister put out beyond her reach. But she wouldn't dwell on it. Not again. She couldn't sink back into her fears. That's over.

She would be stronger, she thought as she dropped Ted to the ground with a shoulder throw. _Nage-waza_. She would be smarter, she asserted, as Ted went for her lower back and she countered with a kick to his abdomen. _Asi-waza_. She would never be a victim again. She pinned Wildcat to the mat, locking his arm behind him. She was in control. _Osaekomi-waza_. _Kansetsu-waza_.

- -

"ROY!" Oliver shouted as he saw his partner take on three men in ski-masks trying to flee from Starling Mutual. This was the second bank robbery this week they had arrived at. Four attempted car-thefts. Two break-ins. A drug deal here and there. Nothing major, but enough to keep his mind off Thea.

Two quick arrows to the truck tires and these men wouldn't be going anywhere. Roy could handle the action on the ground himself for now. Oliver had to make sure the perimeter was safe.

Using the binoculars from his quiver he did a quick scan of the city below him from the rooftop he had chosen for the job. Only 9 PM and these guys decide to hold up a bank. Petty criminals have become desperate since Roy and him started their night patrols. A few blocks from the bank he noticed a familiar sight- Laurels apartment. God, that place didn't hold many happy memories for him. Note to self: tell her she should move. How many times will the place get trashed before she deems it jinxed? But that's something he's always loved about Laurel. Her perseverance. Her ability to keep going on, blow after blow. Idiot after idiot.

Speaking of being an idiot, he really needed to call her, he thought as he zipped down the roof to help Roy finish up on the street. She helps you out and then you go off and hide for a week? Typical Ollie.

- -

On her lunch breaks Laurel had been staying in her office and compiling everything she could about the takeover of Queen Consolidated. She just needed one loophole. One document tracing Isabel Rochev back to Slade and the terrorism plotted against Starling City. Ollie would come back, guns blazing, high gear, and ready to take on another problem on his list to distract himself from... himself. And, like usual, she would be ready.

At that moment she heard a knock on her office door.

"Come in."

It was Oliver. She looked over at him, unsurprised, and laughed.

"What's so funny?" He asked defensively.

"Oh nothing. Just something that happened with a case this morning." Her real source of amusement came from the fact that she was sure she knew that man better than he knew himself. And just on cue-

"So, I was thinking. My father's company. Let's get it back." He said quickly and purposefully.

"Oliver sit down for a second. Breathe. Let's grab lunch."

"But-"

"It's all here. We can look over the things in this folder while we eat." She pushed the Queen Consolidated documents she consolidated towards him.

"Laurel.."

She smirked. "I know, I know. What you would do without Felicity and I, I don't ever want to find out."

He laughed. "Ha..Ha. Come on then, I know a great place pretty close to here."

"Ollie, I'm not eating at Big Belly Burger again."

- -

Laurel walked down the hallway towards her apartment, her hair sticking to the sweat on her forehead. Her and Ted sparred for two hours before both of them decided to leave it a tie and pick it back up tomorrow. She was exhausted.

She heard a buzzing coming from inside her door..

"What the hell..," she whispered, exasperated, as she braced herself and opened the door with her key.

"Hey Laurel! You know, the security in here is terrible. I think you should move." Oliver shouted over the noise of the blender.

"Ollie, what are you doing here? How did you get in? You know what. Never mind. I don't want to know." Laurel set down her stuff by the door and plopped down at the counter across from him.

He slid a glass of something brownish-green at her, calling it a "smoothie," and told her to drink it.

"Seriously?" She looked up at him trying not to laugh.

"Trust me it's good. It will make you feel better. I bet you're sore. It'll help. And tired? It'll help with that too. Just drink it."

His look of excitement and eager anticipation was enough for her to give it a shot.

"Ollie.. this is actually.. not _disgusting_!"

"Thanks, that's what I aim for. And," that steamroller, problem-solving Oliver was back, "I might have found a loophole in those papers you gave me. But I don't understand all the lawyer-talk, and need you to look it over." He put on his best puppy-dog eyes and refilled her glass.

"Looks like it's Lawyer Laurel to the rescue," Laurel teased as she drug the papers he highlighted towards her and grabbed a pen.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Ollie joked as he came around the counter to sit down next to her, heat passing between their shoulders as they leaned close to one another to examine the documents again. Oliver looked up at her while she was 'lawyering' and smiled, those familiar knots forming in his stomach as he tried to push them down and focus on the task at hand.

- -

Half an hour later, after many insistent questions from Oliver and much inaudible thinking-out-loud from Laurel, they finally happened upon that clause that maybe be able to save the company, after all.

"Queen Industries!" Laurel shouted, deleriously.

"What?"

"The applied sciences.. the tech, the copyrights.. Ollie you still own all of that! Scrap the 'consolidated' and you own the most profitable part of the company! We rename it, we go through the legal system and sign over employees, you retake the labs and the tech stuff and you build Queen Industries." Laurel looked at him smiling as he finally understood.

"Laurel... how... that's incredible. I just take what's legally mine and put it under a new name, and we start over? I think even I can manage that, right?"

"Lawyer Laurel!" He yelled as he picked her up off the stool and spun her around in a hug.

When her feet were finally on the ground again she grabbed his shoulders and looked square at him: "Ollie, there's still a lot of work to do. We have to find someone to take the case- I can't because it would be conflict of interest- and then we have to make a case to the board at Queen Consolidated so they'll separate- and probably diffuse- and-"

His lips were on hers before she could finish her thought, successfully shutting her up. Chills ran down her spine as the knots in his stomach grew tighter and a smile formed on his lips before he drew away.

Laurel's eyes still closed she muttered, "Ollie..."

"Shhh Laurel. Go get some sleep. This is a victory. You won this one. Just let it sink in and celebrate. I'll stop by your office tomorrow."

"But you just-"

"Dinah Laurel Lance... you think too much." He smirked.

Ollie gathered up the papers and put them into the briefcase he brought over. On his way out he looked over his shoulder and yelled, " night, Laurel!" and the door shut behind him.

Laurel walked towards the bedroom, looking quizzical,

"That man...," she muttered, "never a dull moment."


	4. Chapter 4: CNRI

Oliver sat in the dark drawing room and stared down at his pad of paper where he wrote his new list. _Thea_... he thought, _you may not want to see me now.. but I'll wait for you, Speedy. You'll come home just like I did. I know you will._ He crossed her name off the list. Next it said "-Queen Consolidated," _Ha,_ he thought,_ they never even saw it coming_. _Queen Industries on top, while consolidated bottoms out. My father would be proud._ He crossed Queen Consolidated off the list next and scribbled QUEEN INDUSTRIES down beside it.

Just then, the front door opened and Laurel came in, wearing some cutoff shorts and an old t-shirt. It was getting pretty warm out for June. Her hair was getting lighter too, Oliver noticed.

"Ollie, now that Queen Industries is up and running I think you can afford some electricity in this place," Laurel observed, looking around.

"I don't know, I've kind of grown to like it." he said lightly.

"Of course you have."

He threw a pillow at her, teasingly.

"So," she started as she leaned against the back of the couch, looking sideways at him, "finally a moment of peace."

They had both been working non-stop for a month, Ollie working on the Queen Co. situation, while Laurel picked up the extra slack from the DA office still not finding any new recruits. Not to mention her daily routine with Ted _and_ trying to catch up with her father once in awhile, outside of the office.

"Finally." Ollie looked up at her and smiled. "How are your dates with Ted?" he teased.

"If by date you mean me kicking his ass, then they're wonderful. How's your 'on-again-off-again' with Felicity?" She retorted.

Oliver looked down, embarrassed. "Off-again."

"Ollie, I get it. It's hard not to get close with the people you work with every day. Especially in your line of work."

"It just doesn't feel right, Laurel. Like I'm holding back. Or waiting for something...else."

"Waiting, huh? Well you came to the right person. I'm the _expert_ at waiting. But if I've learned anything it's that you just have to let go sometimes, Ollie. Life's too short. You and I both learned that the hard way, haven't we."

Slowly Oliver grabbed her hand and held it in his, looking down at their fingers intertwined.

"A lot can happen in a month, can't it?"

"More than you think," Laurel said, glancing at their hands as she made sure her boots and fishnets weren't peaking out from her bag.

"But," she said looking back at him, "I know you didn't ask me to come here so we could talk about these failed attempts at love." He squeezed her hand, guiding her to sit on the couch beside him.

"No, actually it's something a little more cheerful than that." He opened up a manilla folder that was on the coffee table.

"CNRI." He said, holding up a lease.

She looked at him in surprise and laughed. "Are you serious? How? Queen Industries has only just picked up-"

"I know. That's why I could do this. It was on my list, Laurel. Remember? I was serious. CNRI meant a lot to you. It meant a lot to so many people. It made you happy. Not like the DA office. But I need _you_ to run CNRI. No, I _want_ you to do it."

"Oliver I-"

"I know, I know. You don't have to answer now. I just want it to be here when you do make a decision. You've done so much for this city; it's time it did something for you."

"This isn't the city, Oliver.. this is you."

"Laurel," he argued, "I could give you the planet and it still wouldn't be enough to make up for what I did to you, and I know that. But CNRI wasn't something I could just accept as a casualty of war.. and something I know you didn't accept either. So it's here. Go save the city."

At that moment, they turned to look into each others eyes, for the first time since he kissed her a month ago, and she saw now what she saw then; it was something that he didn't have before the island. Something that did change in him.

Before she could even form a coherent thought her lips were on his, a thumb tracing his jawbone while the other was on the back of his head, holding them steady.

He drew away from her and whispered, between kisses, "this is the story of two people.. who are destined to be together.. no matter what life can do to us..it's like the legends they would tell me.. in Hong Kong.. isn't it..?"

Her lips formed a smile as she released him and opened her eyes.. "Ollie," she said as quietly as him, "if I could keep myself away from you..God knows I would."

Oliver landed on top of her on the couch, cushions disheveled, as they sank into each other, the CNRI papers fluttering to the ground.

- - -

They lay there on the couch together, legs intertwined, with a blanket covering their bodies. Both wearing smiles as they enjoy a moment of content.

"Ollie..," Laurel asked softly, "what were those legends you heard in Hong Kong?"

Oliver looked down at her and laughed huskily, "well.. once they told me that soulmates are real. They're so real, in fact, that they are actually two bodies that were meant to be one. A creature with four arms, four legs, two heads, one heart... split apart destined to spend their entire lives searching for their other half.."

"Oliver?"

"Hmm?"

"That's Plato."

"Well.. they told it to me in Mandarin, so technically it was a Chinese legend." Ollie replied. "But it would make sense for _us_ don't you think? I mean think about how great of partners we are!" He said teasingly. "And think of what I could've done with those two arms you stole! Double the arrows!"

Laurel rolled her eyes. "And I'd have an extra foot to shove up your ass-"

"HEY," he laughed and he turned on his side to face her, seriously, "you love my ass."

Laurel pushed him back down and he hugged her as he rolled over to pin her to under him.

"What do you say, champ? Ready for round two?" He teased.

"Ha. You should never doubt my ability to stay in the ring, Ollie" she replied, as their lips met once more.


	5. Chapter 5: CNRI Pt 2- Business Partners

Laurel had just turned in her official two-week's notice papers at the District Attorney office, much to the dismay of the small group of co-workers fluttering in and out of her the office lately.

"Laurel, you _can't_ leave." "Laurel, don't you see how important you are here!" "I'm already behind on this week's cases, I won't be able to hit my deadlines without your help!" She had been hearing the various pleas since her superior let it slip she was leaving.

After a week and a half of persistent begging from Ollie, verbally and _physically_, Laurel had decided to take over CNRI. _Not for him_, she thought, _but for those same reasons that I even went to law school in the first place_. She wanted to make a difference. To help those that can't help themselves. And if her year under the DA taught her anything, it's that the cases coming through her office here weren't from those who needed it most. To be honest, Laurel hadn't stopped thinking about that lease since Oliver showed her the new CNRI plans.

- -

Oliver was sitting in his new office at Queen Industries. 60th floor. Glass windows. Overlooking his city, like a bird on a wire. He had Felicity heading the tech department, and Diggle as chief of security. All three of their offices created an L-shape on the top floor, between them a conjoined workspace about the size of the old foundry that they could privately access from their respective areas. After all, only having one rendezvous point was beginning to dampen the efforts of Team Arrow. Now he had the Queen Ind. base as well as a new set-up in Queen Mansion, and the old foundry in the Glades. _Progress_, he thought with a smile, looking at the bookcase that concealed the hidden door in the office.

Just then, he his secretary phoned, "_Mr. Queen, Ms. Laurel Lance is here to discuss the plans for a law office_." "Of course," Ollie said, putting on his 'serious-businessman' voice, "thank you."

He granted elevator access to the 60th floor. Only him, Felicty, Diggle, and Roy had keys to operate the elevator or the stairwell to come up this far. He had his regular industry meetings downstairs.

Oliver saw Laurel walking down the hallway through his glass office-doors, and he stood up to hold one open for her.

"Laurel!", he said enthusiastically, "I was beginning to think you'd never venture up here."

"I think I was starting to get altitude sickness once I hit the 50th floor in your great-glass-elevator," she teased.

They walked over to the windows at the end of his office. From it, they could see where Oliver bought the buildings to become CNRI. "There it is," he said as he pointed towards it.

"There it is," Laurel said with a smile. "I'm sure it wouldn't have fit on one of the other thirty floors of this gargantuan you have yet to fill."

Ollie laughed. "Then I would lose my excuse for a sky bridge." Laurel rolled her eyes.

"So," he said, electrified, as he turned to face her, "business partners?"

"Business partners," Laurel said confidently as they shook hands.

- - -

They spent the next couple of hours discussing plans for the new building, and what supplies, staff, and government processing they'd need to get started. Laurel had already signed her contract with Queen Industries to branch off into a law-firm.

"Its official," Oliver said, grinning, as he filed the contract in his cabinet and sat back down. "Now we just need a logo"

"CNRI had a logo. I thought it was nice and simple." Laurel countered.

"Exactly. Where's the flourish! The pz-ahh!," he said looking at the futuristic, lavish Queen Industries logo on his wall.

"You know," he continued thoughtfully, CNRI sounds like canary if you say it fast enough.

"I like that," Laurel said, surprised at how observant Oliver was over the smallest things now.

"We scrap the torch, add a canary, and you get your flourish" she said as she threw a teasing grin in his direction.

"I want to show you something," Oliver said excitedly as he stood by a bookcase on the back wall of his office. Laurel walked over to him.

He pulled out a book- Plato's Symposium, she noticed, eying him, and opened it to a hollow portion with a keypad. 5-6-8-3, he typed. 'L-O-V-E,' she thought as the bookcase separated from the wall to show an entire room full of computers, arrows, medical supplies... "_voila_" he said as she stepped inside.

"Another Arrow-Cave?" Laurel asked.

"Well, I've learned not to keep all my eggs in one basket," he said with a grin, fingering one of his experimental arrowheads.

"This is amazing," she said, leaning against a metal table.

"One last thing," he said as he pulled a key out of his pocket. "For the elevator."

She took it from him, looking up into his eyes. "Are you sure?" She said, seriously.

"Never been more sure of anything.._partner_" he said leaning into her, kissing her deeply, one hand grasping the table she leaned against, the other gripping the arrow between them.


	6. Chapter 6: Laurel, Pt1- Start Small

"Gotcha." Laurel quickly dodged a swing from Ted as she wrapped his waist between her knees, twisted, and threw him to the ground pivoting her hips and jumping back up, flipping upside-down off her hands.

"Laurel," Ted started from the ground, panting heavily, "you could kick anyone's ass at this gym now. Including mine."

Laurel sat down on the ground next to him, exhausted. They had been sparring all night. Ted blamed her quick mastery of fighting on the 'law-school advantage.' He said if she could think so easily on her feet in front of a courtroom full of people trying to prosecute a dangerous murderer, she could out-smart most of the opponents she faced here..

Ted, still laying on the ground, turn over to his side to face her, propped up on his elbow.

"What's next for you, Laurel?" he asked, a tone of seriousness in his voice. Her and Ted had grown incredibly close these last few months. He was a wonderful mentor, but an even better friend. He cared about her. He kept her grounded. And he kept her sober.

Laurel let out a sigh. "I.. don't know. Trying to get CNRI off the ground has taken everything out of me. When I'm not here, I'm there. And the people coming in, Ted... they're scared. They're up against some dangerous people. And this time.. I don't know if the law is enough."

"Laurel," Ted sat up, across from her. "The law has _always_ been enough for you. The moment I met you, you were asking about the permits to the building, and if I was 'up to code.' If anyone can figure out how to deal with this, it's you. You have that_ law-school advantage_." He playfully shoved her shoulder. "Come on, I've got something to show you."

He led her into his office. "I found something to go with those fishnet's you've been dying to try out." It looks like Ted knew what was coming next even if she didn't. He tossed her a pair of black metal cuffs. She looked down at them, then up at him curiously. He smiled knowingly. "If you're going to go wrap up some '_dangerous people_,' you've at least gotta have some Wonder-Woman-style arm protection, maybe use them to knock some sense into those assholes out there. They were _my_ mentor's. But they're yours now." Ted looked at her, solemnly, and added, "Laurel, _be careful_."

- - -

Laurel crouched on a rooftop across the street from the penthouse of a man named Peter Fairbairn. He ran a mining company just outside of the city, but pays off every auditor that steps foot near the mine. Last week one collapsed. twenty workers inside were killed instantly. But Fairbairn refuses to pay up the life insurance, claiming loopholes in the contracts. They won't grant CNRI access to the paperwork. But twenty families are counting on CNRI. On her. And she won't let them down.

She was wearing Sara's leather jacket. And the cuffs Ted gave her. And the boots and fishnets she had been hauling around, trying to build up the courage for this moment. Her blond hair fell in waves down her shouldered, her eyes blackened.

She jumped to the penthouse roof, climbed down the fire escape and gracefully jumped into his suite through an unlocked window. She took deep breath, then heard the TV playing in the room diagonal from her. She confidently walked in and stared into the eyes of Peter Fairbairn. His gun was already pointed at her, but the moment's hesitation he spent staring at her legs made for an easy disarmament.

"Hello, Peter," Laurel said, tightening her cuffs. "I'd like to talk to you about the accident you had at your mine last week."

"W-who the hell are you?" Fairbairn answered, paralyzed.

"I'm..." Laurel started, putting her hands into her jacket pockets, "_I'm the Black Canary_."

- - -

Oliver was sitting at the computers in his 'Arrow-cave,' as Laurel called it, in Queen Industries, looking over the police reports from last night.

Starling City business-owner Peter Fairbairn confessed to fraud regarding the lasted mine-collapse. He is paying the due life-insurance to each of the families that lost someone in the collapse, and has posted bail for audit-scam.

Oliver had read the excerpt over and over again. Fairbairn was on his father's list. He is not the kind of man that would confess to fraud without some persuasion.

Suiting up, Ollie decided to pay Mr. Fairbairn a visit.

- - -

The Arrow swept in through the same window of Fairbairn's penthouse as Laurel did. Bow in hand, he walked into the room where Fairbairn was sitting at his desk signing some papers.

"Another one of you? Haven't I done everything I asked? I didn't go to the police.. I handed over the documents, I even paid the families! Why can't you just leave me _alone_!"

This man looked like he was about to have a nervous breakdown.

"_Who_ persuaded you to confess?" the Arrow demanded.

"That woman! That blonde woman in fishnets! I've done everything you've asked! _Just leave me alone_!" Fairbairn sat at his desk shaking.

"Did she give you a name" Oliver asked, lowering his bow, sensing there was no danger here.

"She called herself the 'Black Canary'. Now _leave me alone_ before I call the police and tell them everything!" Fairbairn shouted.

The Green Arrow was gone before Peter Fairbairn could even finish his sentence.

- - -

Oliver sat on the roof across from Fairbairn's penthouse.

_Sara_? He thought. He called Laurel.

"Hello?" She answered, groggily.

"Hey, Laurel. Sorry to call so late. But I need to know if you've heard from Sara lately."

"No.. Ollie you know she left with the League.. why?"

"I think there's a new vigilante in Starling City. And... _fishnets_?"

"Fishnets?" Laurel asked, feigning surprise, "huh."

- - -

Laurel sat in her makeshift-office at CNRI going through the last of the mining-collapse paperwork. A stack of handwritten thank-you notes sat on her desk from the families effected by the wreck. She picked up one that a little girl had drawn- it depicted the canary from CNRI's logo and a new bicycle the family could finally afford with the insurance and the money they were owed from the wage audits. Laurel smiled as she looked down at it and taped it up on one of the walls to the side of her desk before she filed away the paperwork, put on Sara's jacket and left for her apartment.


	7. Chapter 7: Laurel, Pt2 - Fishnets

Some defendants took took more convincing than Mr. Fairbairn. Some had backup. But they all had a weakness in the case, and Laurel could take care of the guns and men between her and that weakness, and she had been doing this dance for a few weeks now. Now CNRI is back on the board.

On the ledger tonight was woman by the name of Jovanka Gladwyn. She runs the human resources department at a steel manufacturing plant. The catch? Any accident claims that come to her desk are funneled away never to be seen again. Hurt employees can't pay the hospital bills, and their families suffer. The profits stay corporate, and the laborers are left in the dust. Laurel had done her research. She knew where to aim.

Laurel changed in the office at Ted's gym. Donning her fishnets, military boots and gloves, Sara's jacket, and cuffs, she grabbed the Jovanka Gladwyn file and slipped it in her pocket.

"Ted!" she yelled on her way out, "I'm taking your bike."

"Please don't crash it again. It was just in the shop a week ago!" He sighed. No use pulling back the reins on this one.

Laurel ran back into the gym, towards him, and threw her arms around him in a bear-hug.

"Thank you for everything, Ted. Really."

He smiled as she released him. "Go kick some ass."

She kept the dark makeup on the bike, covering her eyes in black before riding off to the edge of town.

- - -

Jovanka was in her office at the steel plant, just outside of the city. She walked right into it.

"May I help you?" Gladwyn said, unfazed by the Black Canary outfit.

Laurel threw the CNRI file onto her desk, then turned on her voice moderator. "Sign it. Sign it and I'll leave and we won't have a problem." Laurel had attempted to reason with Jovanka as a lawyer, to no avail, but her moderator would ensure that Jovanka wouldn't recognize her voice.

"Oh dear..." Gladwyn started, "If you think you scare me, you must not have ever met my family."

Just then two armed guards walked into the office.

"Now..." she continued, "you leave this instant, and we won't have a problem."

"You know" Laurel said, "I was sort of hoping we would have a problem, instead."

She slid around and kicked the footing out of the first guard, and used her cuff to deflect a gunshot from the second guard, disarming the one on the floor with a swift crunch of his hand under her boot. The second guard came at her hand-to-hand, aiming a punch at her jawbone before she could block it. She whirled back around and locked her arm under hers, popping out his shoulder and sending her knee into his groin. He was crouched long enough for her to throw his head into the door behind them, knocking him out so he could join his buddy on the floor.

Rubbing her jaw, she turned around to face Jovanka Gladwyn. Gladwyn had picked up one of the guards' guns that was kicked away during the brawl. She was aiming it at Laurel.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Laurel said, threateningly. It looked as if Gladwyn had never held a gun before in her life.

"I'm not leaving this office without those papers," Laurel continued as she locked the office door, "and neither are you."

"That's a lot coming from the person with a gun pointed at their head."

Laurel had to be quick to get to Gladwyn before she could aim a true shot. She dove at the desk right as Gladwyn fired the gun. It just missed her left thigh. She had to land hard against the desk to avoid the path of the gun, and might have just broken a rib in the process.

"_Jovanka Gladwyn_," Laurel started, biting down hard and talking through the pain, "you've been a pain in my ass. But you've been a bigger pain to all the families downstairs that can't afford to eat every day. Sign this paper granting them insurance coverage, and you go back to your house instead of a jail cell tonight."

Gladwyn begrudgingly scribbled her name on the dotted line of Laurel's file as she warned, "you're making the wrong enemy today, vigilante."

Laurel grabbed the papers from her and turned to exit through the fire escape, holding her ribs.

- - -

Oliver had been keeping a close eye on the CNRI clients coming in, and police reports filed by those being prosecuted by the clients. _This girl is clean_, he thought, looking through the police pictures. Fishnets, as he called her, had done nothing more illegal than a couple of 'break and enters,' but has mostly stayed within the law to do her bidding. Last night she took down two armed guards, but both were only knocked out and confirmed that this new vigilante carried no weapon. Working this way will keep the police off her tail, what with everything else they need to worry about in this city.

He was going to Laurel's apartment. If anyone knew anything about these cases, it would be her.

- -

Laurel opened the door to her apartment.

"Hi, Ollie."

He walked in for a hug, but quickly let go when he noticed her wince.

"Laurel, what happened?"

"Nothing, just fell and bruised some ribs. I'm fine, Oliver." She said, brushing him off.

The door closed behind them.

"Come, sit down." She said, walking towards the couch.

"Laurel I wanted to talk to you about some CNRI cases. There's someone connected to CNRI working outside the courtroom to convince these defendants into confessions."

"...I know, Ollie. And if someone is helping these clients get their life on track, even if they use our cases, I'm okay with it."

"Laurel...," he started, worried, "you've always said that the law is enough-"

"And whoever this vigilante is, she's not exactly breaking any of those laws. Not anymore than the people she goes after are." "Oliver, I've had a long day. I don't exactly feel like arguing about this with someone who spent the better part of a year shooting arrows through peoples hearts."

"Fair enough." He conceded. But then, looking at her, "Laurel? What's going on with us? We see each other irregularly, at best, and when we do it's so hot and cold, I can't even tell where we stand."

She turned towards him. "We're both so busy, Ollie. CNRI needed time to get off the ground. You spent your days as a CEO and your nights as the super hood. Timing has never really been on our side, has it?"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm_ saying_," she started as she leaned over to kiss him, "that we enjoy the time we do get together, and worry about the rest when we have to."

He smiled as their lips met, and forgot all about the fishnets.. CEO Oliver.. the hood guy...Right now he could just be Oliver Queen: confused (boyfriend?), and professional flirt.

- - -

The Green Arrow decided it was time to start tracking these CNRI targets himself. Maybe get a chance to talk to Fishnets.

The first night he came across her she was gone before he could even hop on his bike to follow her.

The second night he came across her he made enough distance to get a word in. "FISHNETS!" He yelled, in his deep 'arrow' voice. "Who are you and why are you doing this?"

Laurel turned on her moderator so he wouldn't recognize her voice. "Justice." She said simply. "Why are you doing this?"

She walked right past him as she jumped down the stairwell onto Ted's bike.

"Well," Oliver said aloud, "I guess talking it out isn't going to work."

He went back to the foundry to hope for another target that will lead him to her tomorrow night, adding a couple of his 'handcuff arrows' to his quiver.

- -

He waited on a roof across from a hotel a hopeful target of fishnets' will be staying.

Behind him he heard, "you've gotta stop following me."

He quickly turned around and replied, "Do I know you? Why are you masking your voice?"

She turned to leave, but he came up behind her trying to stop her from going.

"Hey, fishnets.. hold it."

She turned as he came up behind her and swept him over her hip, throwing him to the ground. _Harai Goshi_.

"Jesus.." he gasped, surprised. "I guess we're doing it _that_ way."

They sparred for a few minutes. Laurel was keeping her own, anticipating what he would do, using her toughest throws. She finally brought him to the ground, throwing him around her body. _Yoko Guruma_.

Oliver was more than surprised. He underestimated his opponent. His first mistake. He tried to go hand-to-hand with her. Second mistake. He grabbed his bow, and a handcuff arrow out of his quiver and shot it towards fishnets' hand and the path of a wall behind them. It stuck. Her right hand was pinned to the wall.

He relaxed and let out a deep breath.

"Let me go." She said, seriously.

"Not until I find out who you are" he replied.

"You won't want to know."

"What?" He asked, confused, walking towards her.

She kept her head down. He was coming closer. She couldn't hide from him now.

Laurel lifted her head and met his eyes.

Oliver stopped dead in his tracks. "No..."

"I'd rather you didn't call me 'fishnets.' I'm kind of fond of 'the Black Canary'. You could probably deduce why." She said, still looking at him.

"_Laurel.._."


	8. Chapter 8: Laurel Pt3 - Finale

[On the roof, Laurel tied up by Oliver's handcuff arrow]

"Laurel..."

"Are you really so surprised, Ollie?" Laurel asked, tugging at the handcuff.

"Laurel you can't do this." Oliver felt like he had the wind knocked out of him. _This isn't happening. Not her._

"I can actually do whatever I want to. You should know that by now." Laurel finally ripped her hand free from the cuff, rubbing her wrist, as Oliver took off his hood and looked at her dumbfounded.

Oliver struggled with his words. Laurel could tell. He had never been very good with communication in the first place. He turned off his com-link to his team. This is between him and Laurel. _But hasn't it always been..?_ He thought. _I did this. I came back and started this and now everything I touch goes awry. _

"You can't do this. Not you." He started quietly, looking her in the eye "_you were the part of me that wasn't under a hood._ How can I do my job knowing that every second someone could be aiming bullets at you!" He was getting louder now. And she matched his tone.

"This isn't about _you,_ Oliver. This is about me. This is about me and all those innocent people out there that need a fighting chance. And I can GIVE them that."

"Not like THIS, Laurel," Oliver was shouting now.

Laurel became quiet again, this time allowing a threatening tone to escape her. "I'm not doing this with you right now, Oliver. I have somewhere to be. Don't follow me or so help me god." She jumped down to a balcony below while Oliver stood and watched her leave.

- - -

That night Laurel got back to her place, exhausted, both physically and emotionally. She had known Oliver would find out eventually. It was impossible to keep anything from him and his tech in this city anymore. She didn't feel much anything right now. She didn't care. He wouldn't ruin this. He didn't have that right anymore, and he knew it.

Not a minute after changing into an old t-shirt and some shorts, there was a knock on her door.

_Oliver_.

She opened it. "Can we talk? Just Laurel and Oliver?" He looked tired. He was fighting, she could tell. But this time he was fighting himself.

"Alright," she said quietly, letting him in and closing the door behind them.

He turned to face her. "I'm so scared, Laurel. You're not something I can afford to lose."

"Ollie, I'm fine. I'm ready for this. I've worked hard. I've done my research, and I know the risks. But those cases? Those people out on the street who have nobody? Those rapes, sexual assaults, muggings that happen every single day here? I take that personally. I _won't_ let them slip through the cracks like I almost did." She was serious. This was courtroom-Laurel. Relentless. Intelligent. Oliver couldn't find the words to argue with her. But he had to.

"I.. you.. you don't even wear a _mask_, Laurel. Every second somebody could be here to take everything away from you-"

"Everything _was_ taken away from me, Oliver. In case you didn't notice, I didn't have the best year. But I got back up. I'm not scared anymore. They want to take it? They can try. I don't wear a mask because THIS is who I am. The mask is what I put on every day I went to the DA office and watched as some jerk got off free because of _who_ they were. THIS is who I've been since I've learned that the world isn't black and white anymore. If you refuse to accept that, then you really don't get me at all, do you?" Laurel was almost begging him to understand. Trying to get through his thick skin. "I don't need to hide my eyes, become someone I'm not. I'm safe hiding in plain sight. People never really have been very good at seeing what's right in front of them, have they?"

Oliver closed his eyes. "I can feel myself losing you. I can see the gap getting wider and I don't know what to do. A year ago we would have been at each others throats, screaming like kids. And now.. now I can't fight back. But I can't stay here."

Laurel walked over to him and took his hands in hers and kissed him lightly, her eyes wet. "Timing never really has been on our side, has it."

She stepped back and let go of his hand as he fought back the lump forming in his throat.

"Goodbye, Ollie."

He inhaled sharply and opened his eyes again to look at her. "_Bye Dinah.._"

- - -

Months passed.

Every night Oliver would look at his list. One name remained. "_-Laurel_" it read. Laurel. He shook it off and went out with Roy, keeping his city safe, and keeping himself distracted.

Laurel continued taking names. But now she was finding her rhythm. Her M.O. seemed to be cases against women. And the police wouldn't hold her accountable- they've come to realize these vigilantes are doing more good than bad. More sexual predators were behind bars now than have been for the past few years, and the only thing that has changed is this new _Black Canary_ making her appearance.

- - -

Oliver kept going at work. Being the CEO he needed to be to keep Queen Industries on top. His list was taped to his desk. Some nights he could look out over the city and see a blonde girl in fishnets drive past on a bike. Or take on some people on the ground. And he would see Laurel walk into CNRI every morning, sometimes with a limp, sometimes unscathed. _And I can't do a thing about it_, he thought._ I lost that right the moment I took Sara on the Gambit 7 years ago. And again when I kept the biggest part of my life from her after I got back._ He wasn't used to not having control. He didn't like it. But he refused to hurt her again. _I owe her everything. She dragged me out of the depths when Slade almost took everything from me. Something I didn't do for her when she needed me. I'll spend every moment making it up to her. _

_I won't let her go again_.

- -

A freak summer storm raged over Starling City. Wind. Rain.

"_Probably a good day to take a break from patrolling the streets_," Oliver thought out loud, looking out the window at the trees swaying back and forth, going over some papers from Queen Industries sitting on the couch at Queen Mansion.

The list sat on the coffee table. Where it all started, he thought.

He picked up his phone and did what he should've the moment he found Laurel on the roof.

"Oliver?" She answered, surprised.

"Hey, Laurel. Listen, I need some help with something."

"Ollie, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

"No, no.. don't worry.. I just need some help, with a list.."

"A list?" She said, laughing softly.

"Can you come over?" he asked, "I'm at home."

- - -

Laurel ran into Queen Mansion, soaked from her twenty foot walk from her car to the door.

"It's insane out there!" She yelled over the wind as Oliver closed the door behind her and took her coat.

Just then- the lights flickered in the house. Then the power was completely out. They were left, quite literally, in the dark.

"Well.." Laurel started, "this is a bit familiar."

"You know.." Oliver said, "I just turned my power back on up here." He started lighting the old candles and started a fire in the hearth. "There's a generator in the basement, but I was hoping to save that power for a bigger emergency."

"It's fine, Ollie," Laurel said as she sat on the couch, "It's actually kind of nice to come full-circle with this place."

"_Yeah.._" he said as he sat on the couch beside her, "you're right. Besides, I don't need any arrows or tricks tonight."

She looked at him, "just Oliver tonight, then?"

"Just Oliver," he said as he smiled at her.

Then he got serious. "Laurel. The real reason I asked you to come here.. I have a lot to say. And I know I'm not very good at putting it all out on the table, but I'm trying. You deserve that. And more."

She grabbed his hand to encourage him to continue.

He took a deep breath.

"When you found out.. about what I did.. since I came back to Starling City.. you supported me. You were there, no questions asked. I hid myself from you.. I _lied_.. and yet you pulled me back up again. I'll never be able to repay you for that. Once again..-"

"Ollie.. I told you-"

"No, there's more. I had the chance to do for you what you did for me. To be there for you. To _support_ you. And once again I got spooked. I freaked out and I couldn't handle it. But I was wrong."

Laurel looked at him, surprised that we was admitting his defeat like this.

"It's different this time. I'm not leaving. _I'm not running away from you again_. If you want to do this, I want you to do this. I'll be the guy with arrows running after you, tying up the bad guys after you take them down."

He shifted himself on the couch to be facing her directly, and picked up a com-link from the coffee table and handed it to her. "This connects you to me. Felicity. Diggle. Roy."

"You're not serious.."

"Oh, I'm serious." He smiled at her. "If you're doing this. I want to do it with you. I'm not running away this time."

"So..." he continued, "business partners?" He held out his hand.

Laurel looked down at the com-link, then up at his hand. She smiled, and took it. As they were shaking, she agreed, "_business partners_."

"So," Oliver said, "first order of business. Guy named Kenny Causer. Lives in the Glades. Neighbors have made calls claiming domestic violence, but his girlfriend is too scared to go to the police."

"Ollie, how do you know-"

"Laurel, just because we weren't talking doesn't mean I wasn't paying attention. Surprising for me, I know," he teased. "So, how about we suit up? Felicity pinged me the address already. We can take my bike. I know you've got a pair of fishnets in that big bag of yours." He winked and he helped her up off the couch. "We can try this _together_ this time."

She smiled as she got off the couch and grabbed her bag. Oliver picked up his list and crossed Laurel's name off of it, grinning, before following her to the arrow HQ.

- - -

After changing they were walked back up from the basement, hand in hand. Fishnets and the Hood.

Right as they were about to walk out the door they heard a knock, looking at each other curiously.

Oliver opened the door. _Thea_ stood in front of him, wearing a hood, quiver over her shoulder, looking at them mischievously.

"Hey, _Ollie_.."

_

Authors Notes (Reflection?):

First off THANK YOU everybody who followed this story. It wouldn't have gone anywhere without you.

-This last chapter was kind of weird.. I had a big plan for a blow-out fight, but as I was writing it just didn't feel right for them anymore. At least not with this fight. When I write these two they sort of just crush all my outlines and do what they want.  
>-Laurel and Ollie had a lot to talk about this chapter. More discussion, less action. I mean, after 7 years of Oliver being an ass, I think it's time to get it all out.<br>-SORRY for the Thea cliffhanger. But I wanted to leave something fun to the imagination. Can you say SPEEEDDDYYYY.  
>-The Laurel + No mask thing comes directly from JLA: Year One. Wonderful story. Most of my inspiration for her came from that.<p>

So, let me know if you want me to write more with these two characters. Or the others. School is starting back up, so I won't have time to do a multi-chapter story like this (without it being updated inconsistently and me feeling bad about that) but I will do one-shots. Give me prompts and I'll do them for you. I won't disappear completely, I promise.  
>But again, thank you all. This was so much fun for me. I hope it was fun for you too.<br>Much Love,  
>taro xo<p> 


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